Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 11/4/2022 + 1184 more book reviews

This is Christie's thirty-first full-length novel featuring Hercule Poirot. Published in 1969, it is close to the end of Christie's long careerâshe died in 1976 at age 85. In this one, Poirot's friend, writer Ariadne Oliver, travels to the town of Woodleigh Common to visit her friend Judith Butler and to help organize a Halloween party for the children at the local school. Several games are planned for the party including bobbing for apples. While the planning is going on, the children ask Oliver about her writing of murders and mystery. Then a young thirteen year-old girl named Joyce claims that she witnessed a murder a few years ago but did not realize it was murder until recently. No one pays Joyce any attention but later she is found drowned in the tub used to bob of apples. Everyone assumes that she is killed by a local lunatic but Oliver calls her friend Poirot because she thinks Joyce's claim to have witnessed a murder may have drawn out a killer. Poirot arrives on the scene and agrees with Oliver and sets out to bring the murderer to justice. This leads to some other unsolved murders that happened in the past few years. Are these murders related and if so, who is the culprit?

This was as usual a good Christie mystery that keeps you guessing up till the end. Although I didn't think this was anywhere near Christie's best, I would still give it a good recommendation. I haven't come close to reading all of Christie's output but I enjoy reading these now and then. I'll be looking forward to more.

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